"More sweet love in love world
Sweet love in love world
You know what you wanna be
Wakattenda
Sweet love in love world
Sweet love in love world
You know what you wanna be"
As the song played in her ears, she sang along and walked to the back alley at Port Island with a black case on her hand. She dressed in pink sleeveless skirt and wide collar t-shirt on the outside. Her light orange colored waist length hair swayed behind her head.
Though some of the people threw her a weird glance, she just ignored them. Dealing with them was probably the stupidest thing to do. She did what she wanted, that's all.
"You mean…they intend to eliminate the Dark Hour?" Takaya said in disbelief. To him, to Strega, Dark Hour was the only mean to live in this world. "Why would they do such a thing!? With the power they have…They wish to destroy the Tower of Demise as well!?"
"Tower of Demise…?" But to Shinjiro, Dark Hour was a nightmare, where the sin he triggered two years ago. "…Who wouldn't want to take out that damn tower?"
"Easy, Takaya." Jin understood how Takaya was thinking. And he knew full well how Shinjiro thought too. He could only say, that they're living in different world.
"Yo good evening Takaya!" She suddenly popped out from their back, and tackled Chidori's lolita dress. "Good evening to you too, Jin and Chidori! You're as beautiful as always, Chidori!"
"…" Chidori glanced at the hand on her dress but remained silence.
"Tch…what bring you here?" Instead of accepting the greeting from the girl, Jin glared at her in despise.
She didn't mind, since she knew they hated her from the start, and they never went easy for her.
She handled them the case. "This is for you guys…it's a little earlier, but never mind, I guess?"
Jin lowered his gaze and took it. "…I knew it…"
She went passed Takaya to Shinjiro. "You are Shinjiro Aragaki, aren't' you? Nice to meet you!"
The bold guy darkened his face. "…Who the hell are you?"
"My name is Ishida Tomoyo, the agent of the capsule you're taking." The girl – introduced herself as Ishida Tomoyo formed a mischief smile.
"…Tch…whatever." Talking about the capsule brought him fidget and anger. After getting the capsule, he turned around and left the place. He and Strega were only connected through the capsule. Without this, they're nothing.
"Leaving already? Then, see you again, Aragaki-san!" Tomoyo bid him goodbye. Then, she turned back to Strega. "I overheard your conversation…isn't this interesting?" Her smile never left her face.
"…What's so interesting about?" Jin crossed his arms, losing his patient to talk to her.
"I mean to eliminate the Dark Hour…do you all believe in this?" She tapped her finger on her mouth. Her smile mixed a hint of evil. "Have you not thought about where this information comes from?"
"…What do you mean?" Now it's Takaya's turn to glare at her, showing doubtful about her words.
They always like this, weren't they? Tomoyo let out a sigh, but she shrugged it off. Well, they had their reason to treat her like this though…
"Don't worry, your Tower of Demise will maintain as beautiful as you think. Dark Hour will not disappear. Their action only bring the end faster than they expected…so you can leave them be." She opened her arms to the night sky above their head.
"Why do we have to believe in you?" They still doubted her.
She sighed again, rubbing her temples. "…Let's say…can't you show a little bit of happiness with this information?" What's wrong with their faces? "Of course you have to believe in me…you know who I am, and what I have done to you guys ten years ago."
"…!"
"…Tomoyo!"
"And I have someone to report to me in SEES. They're but my bait…to bring forward the end." She didn't afraid of their hatred at all. If their glares could kill someone, she might die ten thousand times from the day she supplied the capsule… So she had nothing to worry about. "Just leave them be…oh wait! I just think of a great idea."
"…What?" Jin felt bad with her 'idea' and smile. Though he had to admit the smile she had on her face making her adorable, but that's definitely a poison, he knew.
"Why don't you guys go and interrupt them a bit? In that way, they will consider what they're doing is right!" She heard from Ikutsuki that some of them were doubted the idea of defeating twelve's big shadow. Oh no, she had to make them believe they're doing the right thing.
"…Are you giving us order?"
"No, but a suggestion. Do if you want, that's all."
"One more thing." Jin asked. "Do you supply the capsule to Izumi?"
"Izumi? Oh that guy…yeah, I do."
"…Why don't you tell us about him!? Since when do you start supplying him the capsule!?" He shouted.
Tomoyo blinked for a moment. "…That's none of my business. My job is to supply the capsule." In other words, she didn't care at all if there was other survivor in them.
"…You!" Jin swore he hated this bitch. If wasn't for the capsule…!
"Oh, it's almost midnight. I have to go before that approach. See you next time, Strega!" Just as Tomoyo turned around and intended to leave, she suddenly stopped. "Hey, let me remind you something…"
Takaya, Jin and Chidori remained silence. If possible, none of them wanted to hear what she's going to say especially after she tried to bring up the incident ten years ago. However, a part of them knew she always told them important point, which deeply related to them.
"Though Dark Hour is the only world you can live freely, but danger always lurks around." She put one of her fingers in front of her mouth, making a silence signal. "Something is wondering during the Dark Hour…be careful about that…I believe Chidori has experience with that thing already…?"
Chidori shivered remembering the day she happened to found that thing. She couldn't wipe off the feeling that thing put on her. It's to disgusting, as if that thing licked through her body.
"…You know it…?"
Tomoyo shrugged. "I haven't met it in person, but if I'm right…that thing eats shadows…a Shadow Eater."
"Shadow Eater…?"
"Well, that's it. I better get going, bye!" After getting it done, Tomoyo left the back alley, leaving Strega.
She knew they would do as she told, as they desire the same thing as her – the end of the world. She danced; she played while she's walking, along with the music played in the earphone.
She believed her plan would actually work, no matter what's blocked in front of her. She's not the only one hoping for the end. Her wish was everyone's wish. She only put it into action, for all of them.
As she's on the way to her home, the world suddenly turned to green color. The song stopped playing, her dance stopped immediately as well.
"Aww…too bad." She sighed, continued her pace on the empty street. Her gaze turned cold as her pace went slow, and finally stopped. "What the bad timing…"
Some ugly creatures in samurai form walked out from the alley behind the wall. Some of them bear the appearance of samurai, some of them in lion form. Those were Strength Arcana shadows.
It's weird to have so many shadows outside of Tartarus. But it didn't surprise Tomoyo at all. Weird things happened everyday. No one would actually care about it.
"…Do you think you can beat me?" She smiled, different with the smile she used to be. If her smile was adorable to Jin, then the smile she formed was equaled to demon to shadows.
Mushas unsheathed their katanas, and beasts charged to her. They circled her in the middle. Logically, she didn't stand a chance against them. However…
"My my…I'm here, Hades!"
Blue light illuminated beneath her legs as glasses shattered in the air. A black haired figure with black mask covered his face appeared in front of Tomoyo. He's in black armored with cloak behind. He's the ruler of underworld, the brother of Zeus.
Black whirlpool formed underneath the shadows with uncountable black arms stretched out. They grabbed the shadows and pulled them into the whirlpool to swallow them lively. The shadows cried out, but that wouldn't stop the black arms.
Tomoyo watched it with cold smile on her face. She didn't move at all, and shadows could never touch her. If together with Hades, she's powerful. Unlike Strega, she needn't capsule to sustain the power flow of persona.
Hades disappeared after defeating all the shadows. She continued to move forward, and waved her hand when she saw the person on her opposite side.
"Hey Izumi!" She greeted, ignored the sudden change on the guy's face.
"…Hey, it's been a while…" Izumi quickly covered his shock with usual playful smile and hiding his arm. "What are you doing in this late time?"
"I could have asked you the same question, Izumi." She chuckled, pretending she didn't see his bloody arm. "It's dangerous to wonder around especially that Shadow Eater lurking in this area, don't you agree?"
Izumi's heart skipped a beat, but he still tried to remain calm, not to show too much emotion.
"Shadow Eater? Where's the rumor comes from?" He patted her head. "But you're right. Dark Hour is dangerous. I should hurry home. Be careful, Tomoyo-chan."
When his hand left her head, the smile on her face immediately faded.
Why this guy…
He always acted like a big brother, even in front of her. He knew who she was. He knew she's the one who caused him and the others suffered the pain until today. He knew she's the one who caused them to take the capsule for the rest of the life. Even so, he still…
"…You still try to being strong even in the time like this?"
"Hmm? What?"
"You know what I mean, Izumi." She cursed under her breathes. "Your body knows the most." Leaving this to him, she left. She couldn't stand to stick with him, to see his pathetic face.
"…Yeah, you're right." She could hear his mutter behind her. Among all of them, Izumi was the one she couldn't handle properly. Unlike Takaya, Jin or Chidori who hated her, Izumi always acted like he didn't care. He didn't care if she's the one to cause them suffered. That's the biggest problem Tomoyo couldn't handle him.
She didn't know what the guy was thinking.
She took a deep breathe, reminding herself not to fall into the anger and fidget.
"…Aside from this, things will become more and more interesting."
"…SEES and Strega, show me your struggles and feeling."
Summer break approached. It marked the start of the period students hoping the most. Some of them started to plan what to do in their summer break, and some of them wanted more exercises and fun. But no matter what the others were planning, it wouldn't interest Hamuko and Minato, because of the training and tournament their clubs got them into. Willing or not, they had to take part on it since they didn't give any choice from the beginning.
"Aww…too bad."
"What is it, Hamuko?"
Yukari asked the auburn haired girl with question mark on top of her head. Since she and Minato took part on the training and tournament, she would repeat the same thing over and over in these few days.
"…On the day of tournament, I still in Yasoinaba." Hamuko was almost in crying face. "That mean I can't go to support Minato-kun!"
"…I see." Yukari chuckled helplessly.
The kendo club would take part on the tournament on 2nd August, and a day before, tennis club would have training in Yasoinaba. By the time they back to Iwatodai, the tournament properly had ended.
This was the reason Hamuko kept complaining about.
The timing was just too bad!
"…Why are you so worried about Arisato-kun?" Yukari timidly asked, while moving next to Hamuko and covered her face with the magazine she held. "I mean…he's strong, after all."
"But still, I want to go there and support him!" Hamuko held up her two fists. "It's not like I don't believe in his skill, but I want to be there for him."
Yukari shifted her gaze away from Hamuko. This was the question she wanted to ask since quite some times ago…
"…Hamuko…what's the relationship between you and Arisato-kun?" Just as she blurted the question, her face heat up. W-What the stupid question she has asked!? "N-No…It's not like…!"
Hamuko tilted her head and stared at Yukari. Now Yukari asked about it…she hadn't given any thought about this before.
"Hmm…I think because we're both suffering the memories lost. I feel like it's more comfortable around him…so I want to do what I can for him." This should explain her feeling.
"I-Is that so?" Yukari seemed to relief. But Hamuko had no idea what she felt relief for.
"Hmm….how about Yukari goes to there for me?"
"W-What!?" Yukari almost choked by her saliva. "Why are you suddenly…!?"
"That's because Yukari seems pretty close with Minato-kun recently."
"W-When did we start to get close…!?" No good, her face must be burned!
"Didn't you two hanged out recently?" Unaware of Yukari's burning face, Hamuko kept pushing her with questions.
"Y-You saw it!?"
"Everyone knows."
Yukari almost died from shame and shyness. She screamed and dropped the magazine to the floor.
"S-Stop it Hamuko…I-I'm going back to my room!" And then, Yukari ran back to her room in rush. She swore, if she didn't run now, she would faint with all the question kept coming to her!
"What's got into her?"
Ken Amada didn't want to go back to dorm where he's living with other elementary children. He strongly felt he didn't belong to that place.
Since the incident two years ago, he would receive the same treating from people around, to which he already used to it and annoying with it.
No one would believe in him, that his mother was killed.
He had enough of the pity where the others spared him. They didn't know the truth. They didn't understand at all! What's the right they tried to comfort him when they didn't believe in him and treated him as a kid!
"Mother…"
He looked down to the pendant his mother last handed to him. This was the only thing he got to memorize his mother, and thanked to Koromaru, he managed to get it back from the thief.
The shiba-inu lifted his head when he heard the soft mutter from the boy. Since the time Koromaru helped him to get back the pendant, he would come here whenever he didn't feel to go back.
He could only seek peace in this shrine.
"I'm alright, Koromaru." Patting the white dog's head, Ken assured him.
Koromaru lost his master too. His master was the priest of the shrine, and he past away in an accident. From then on, Koromaru acted as a protector of this shrine, as if to protect his master. He's a loyal dog.
Ken could only seek peace from a dog. He understood him, and he would be here for him. Unlike those adults, Koromaru would not doubt his words.
"Oh hey…" The world in front of his eyes turned to green color. Ken lifted his head to the green sky, amazed by the changed of the space. "Look, it's that time again."
Koromaru did the same as him. Normally, whenever Ken came here, he would stay with Koromaru until the time ended. Anyway, wondering alone was not a wise choice. And he felt safe to stay in the shrine.
However, not today.
Koromaru suddenly jerked up and barked, shocking the little boy. He looked to the front, but there's nothing over there.
"Hey Koromaru…there's nothing…hey!"
The dog ignored him and ran forward down to the stair. Out of curiosity, Ken followed behind the dog.
"Hey Koromaru, what are you…" His voice died out when he witnessed the scene in front. "W-What is this…?"
"I'm sorry to wake you up, but please come to the fourth floor immediately!"
In the late night, Hamuko woke up by Fuuka's sudden call. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she grabbed her shirt and changed it. She wouldn't want to go up there in pajama though.
Upon opened the door, she met Haruka who seemed to be waiting for her.
"…Let's go to fourth floor."
"What happened?" Hamuko asked. She saw Junpei and Minato climbing up the stair.
"…I don't know, but I'm sure it's not something good." Haruka spoke in monotone, and looked away from Hamuko.
"Alright, let's go."
Haruka followed behind them to the fourth floor. She bit her bottom unconsciously, showing the emotion of her inner side.
It's that Shadow Eater again…
It's still lurking in the town…
"We're here!"
"What's happening, senpai?"
"Is there mission?" Aigis and Metis also here.
"Yamagishi found shadow by chance." Mitsuru answered them. "Akihiko went on ahead to check for us. All of you, prepare to head over there."
Fuuka already dismissed Lucia. "I detected two presences near the shadow…I hope they're alright…"
"Alright, leave it to us!" Junpei smirked, and just as he dashed off from the room, they received call from the line.
"Command room here. How's the situation, Akihiko?" Mitsuru connected the line. She furrowed her brows as she heard the panting sound from the boxing champion.
"Mitsuru, have everyone come here, immediately!" From the line, they could hear crying and barking, and the sound of glasses shattering. "Dammit! What is this thing!?"
"Akihiko!" The line cut off. "Yamagishi!"
"Y-Yes!"
Fuuka again summoned her persona.
"W-What's going on…?"
Haruka circled her body and looked out from the window.
The random shadow had turned to be the food for the shadow eater. It should have done, but now it tried to attack Ken Amada and Koromaru who happened to be around. Was it went berserk, or its master did this in purpose?
"…This is …oh no…" Fuuka's recalled the frightening feeling she had on that night. "Stay away from it, Akihiko-senpai!"
By the time Akihiko reached to the shrine, he saw the shiba-inu tried to protect Ken from the black figure. The dog fought it with all he might, but the black figure didn't seem to back down ever.
The black figure was covered in pure black, unlike shadow, or neither persona. It didn't bear the appearance of any shadow Akihiko had seen before, nor the persona that bear with different god-like being form. No, the black figure didn't.
Immediately, Akihiko summoned Polydeuces and used Zio on the black figure. It squeaked and stunned for a while, and Akihiko took the chance to the side of the boy.
"Ken, are you alright!?"
"S-Sanada-san…?" Ken regained his senses, and quickly took a look on Koromaru. "I-I'm fine! Koromaru protected me all the times!"
"Owww!"
"Yeah, good boy. You two stay back." Akihiko had Koromaru and Ken stayed behind him. "…What's that…?"
As he looked back to the black figure, however, to his surprise, the black figure stood there unharmed. Not even a scratch.
"What…?" Akihiko couldn't believe. The Zio did hit it directly, but how…? "Tch…is it strong against electricity?" Without hesitated, he immediately connected the line to the dorm.
"Command room here. How's the situation, Akihiko?"
"Mitsuru, have everyone come here, immediately!" Meanwhile, the black figure started to attack him. It clenched its claws into fist and struck. Akihiko tilted his body to the left and leaped. "Dammit! What is this thing!?"
He cut the line off, no time to explain on the line. He still had Ken and Koromaru at his back. He had to withstand it until the reinforcement came.
"How about this!?"
He summoned Polydeuces and use Sonic Punch. If it strong against electricity, then what about physique attack?
Sonic Punch hit the black figure's face and slammed it into the wall. Akihiko shut his breathe for a moment when the claws suddenly stretched out and attacked him like instant.
"W-What!?" He felt a sharp pain on his face, where he smelled the ironic. He cursed, using his hand to wipe it off. "It strong against strike attack too?"
This fight was pretty bad for him. That thing was not only strong against electricity, it also strong against strike attack. It would be better if Fuuka was here.
"Sanada-san! You're bleeding!"
"I'm fine! Just stay back…"He cut off his sentence when his eyes caught a glimpse of black flash light on top of him. "BACK DOWN!"
Ken hadn't been able to act to the shout. Koromaru was faster ahead than him fortunately, bit his collar and pulled his to the back. For a moment, Ken only felt his heart's going to rip out.
"Tch…!" Now he was separated with Ken and Koromaru. "Polydeuces, come!" He didn't have time to think too much. Now the priority was to keep them safe!
However, like pervious, Zio didn't work at all. The black figure turned its faceless head to him instead. But this was what Akihiko planned anyway. The black figure roared, and instantly it rushed toward Akihiko. Akihiko did his best to evade the clawed fists. Excluded the resistance of electricity and strike attack; it didn't seem to be too fast. At least Akihiko managed to evade its attacks.
But he had no way to defeat it. All he could do was buying some times until they came.
"Sanada-san, be careful!" Ken shouted. "This thing…it will eat you!"
"What!?" A moment of pausing caused a terrible mistake. The black figure caught him on his left arm and pulled him nearer.
It didn't have mouth, but Akihiko could still hear the terrible roar from it. He used his empty hand to pull out his evoker and shot.
Polydeuces grabbed the arm of the black figure and intended to pull it away from its master. However, his thought went mistake. This was the perfect moment the black figure was waiting. It released Akihiko and grabbed Polydeuces on head.
"Sanada-san, it just ate the black creature!"
"You mean…it eats shadow!?"
The pain on Polydeuces reflected on Akihiko himself. He clutched his head in miserable pain as the black figure tightened his grip on his persona. He could see the black figure slowly pulled Polydeuces to his mouth and…
Was it…was it going to eat Polydeuces? Uncontrollable fear rose from his heart as he saw the thing opened its mouth and showed its sharp teeth…
"Stop it…STOP!"
"Akihiko!"
Bufu and Garu hit the back of the black figure and forced it to release Polydeuces. Familiar voices came from opposite direction. He swore, he never felt this calm with the voice of hers. Normally, he afraid the ices queen the most.
"Senpai, how are you?" Hamuko immediately asked. She heard the loud scream on their way here, and she never expected her calmed senpai could freak out like this.
"I'm fine…what about Ken and Koromaru?"
"They're fine." The one who answered was Minato. His gaze was on the black figure.
"Hey…what is that thing!?" Junpei snapped looking at the black figure. How the hell it remained the same after the ice and wind attacks!?
"What? Our attacks didn't work?" Yukari couldn't believe it.
"Is it strong against ice and wind?" Mitsuru threw her head to the aqua haired girl at their back. "Yamagishi!"
"Yes, give me some times!" So that was the thing she detected on that day. Even she could feel it, but she couldn't imagine how it looked like. But the disgusting feeling was the same as ever.
"…Mitsuru, it strong against electricity and strike attack as well!" Akihiko informed the group.
"Multiple resistances shadow?" No, it didn't look like any shadow they've seen. Or…persona?
"Then what about fire!?" Junpei summoned Hermes and used Agi on it. But the result was the same: it didn't scratch it a bit. "How could this be!?"
"What about this?" Metis summoned her persona Psyche, like a woman wore in white dress, but a butterfly-like mask replaced the head and face parts. It looked very similar to Metis as well. "Poison Arrow!"
"Initiating summon sequence." Aigis, summoned her persona Palladion, together with Psyche, struck toward the black figure.
Black figure squeaked when the attacks dropped on it. It stumbled a few feet, but still able to keep balance and finally up to its feet again. That really gave SEES a deep shock.
"Everyone, be careful!" Fuuka's voice came from inside Lucia, which it appeared to be shaking. "This thing doesn't have any weakness…it strong against all type of attacks and element attacks!"
"How could that be possible!?" Junpei cried. "Is there any way we can defeat it?"
Minato narrowed his eyes. This was far worse than they thought. None of the attack would actually work on it, and if they fought it, they would end caught up in length battle. Stamina was the first issue to consider with…
Black figure stretched out its clawed arm and countered back. Metis and Aigis leaped in the same time to the back. Meanwhile, Yukari shot an arrow, along with Junpei charged with his sword.
The black figure didn't equip with weapon or skill. Its attack was properly counting on its claw. It slow, but its endurances was strong, stronger than any shadow they faced before. Sword and arrow didn't effective on it at all. Metis and Aigis immediately replaced Yukari and Junpei with followed up attacks.
"Yamagishi, is it a shadow or persona?"
"…I can't figure out…it mix up with different arcana of shadow…Strength…Magician…no, I don't know!"
Hamuko and Minato exchanged a gaze, grabbing their evoker on hand and charged out. Metis forced to back down with her battle axe blocking the claws. Aigis ran to its back and fired. Exchanging with Metis, Hamuko spun her naginata, while Minato struck from its side. The black figure blocked them with both of its arms, and snatched their weapon.
"Huh?"
"Let go!"
Minato quickly let go his hand, but Hamuko didn't quick enough to pull her hands back. Her whole body been lifted up, and tossed to other side.
"Hamuko!" Minato ran forward intended to summon Orpheus, however, to his surprise, the black figure struck on him from his left side like a whirlwind. Minato shielded with his hands, but the figure aimed for his head instead. It grabbed his head and slammed his body to the wall.
Hamuko, on the other hand, summoned Eurydice to help her landed safely. As she landed, she saw Minato struggled to free from the grip of the black figure. Immediately she ran toward him and aimed her evoker to her temple.
"Minato-kun!"
Minato's face twisted from the pain of his body. He caught a glimpse of the auburn haired girl raised the evoker. Doing the same using his free hand to grab the evoker, he closed his eyes and shot.
"THANATOS!"
Two voices combined as one. The Death appeared above the both of them. It looked fiercely to the black figure, to which the figure squeaked. Minato took the chance, with a kick to the figure's body; he pushed the figure off him. He coughed a little, inhaling some fresh air.
"Here we go, Thanatos." He commanded.
A wave of his hand, he commanded Thanatos to use Brave Blade on the figure. Though the black figure strong against all type of attacks, Brave Blade from Thanatos still caused heavy damage to it. It cried out. Its cry echoed in the shrine. Some of them had to cover their ears to decrease the volume.
"Minato-kun!" Hamuko asked in concerned. "Are you okay?"
"…I'm fine." Though his back still hurt…
"Hey, look!" Junpei pointed to the black figure. It seemed losing the will to fight.
"Huh? I sense a presence…! It's human!" Fuuka quickly reported upon unusual detection. "It's not far from here!"
The black figure had disappeared due to unknown reason. But as far as Mitsuru observed, its disappearance pattern very similar to persona. Shadow wouldn't disappear all of the sudden, not before being defeated.
But for now, they needed to know who's behind this. Was it other persona user besides them? They needed to find out…she needed to know.
Following the direction Fuuka provided to them, they came down to Iwatodai Strip Mall. Beside the coffins and closed shop, they couldn't find anyone here. They spread out and looked around but back with empty handed.
"No sense of human around." Aigis reported after activated her sensor.
"I lost the trace of the person…I'm sorry." Fuuka said in guilty, lowering her head in apology.
"It's alright, Fuuka." Yukari tapped her back. "I'm glad that thing was gone. I don't think I can fight it."
"Yeah…it's crazy." Junpei scratched the back of his head. "Was it a shadow, anyway?"
"…I assume it's a persona, from the way it disappeared." Mitsuru told her thought. "Perhaps there's other persona user."
"R-Really?"
They all looked at each other in doubt. It's not like they doubted their senpai, but it's too difficult to believe the thing they just fought was a persona. It didn't bear any look of persona at all, and its master was not around to control it either.
"But why a persona attacked Ken and Koromaru?" Hamuko voiced out her doubt.
The group fell in silence. Fortunately Ken and Koromaru were safe from being harmed. But to Akihiko, this was another matter to worry about later.
"Mitsuru, there's something I need to discuss with you later."
"…What's it about?"
"…About the thing we fought just now."
As usual, Strega was having their requests to complete tonight. This was their way to live. No one could actually say they're wrong, though they knew full well they weren't justice as well. Was there anyone had the right to judge them?
No, Jin believed. They're just living with their life. Who else would bother?
…No, someone would.
Jin suddenly remembered the faces of Hamuko and Minato. He found them as the member of SEES due to the last operation they had in Shiragawa Boulevard, and since then, he wouldn't want to meet them ever again.
He felt like he's been betrayed.
But of course he knew, they didn't do anything that betrayed him or Izumi. It's just his personal feeling. The only thing he angry about was Hamuko and Minato betrayed Izumi.
"How the hell Izumi believes in them…?"
No…stop thinking about that, Jin reminded himself while letting a sigh.
He needed to get back to their base soon. Wondering alone was not a wise choice in Dark Hour. Thanks to Chidori, he followed her direction where shadows were detected and came down to take them down. Now he's left alone. She never planned to come with him from the beginning!
"Damn Chidori…" Grumbling was all he could do at the moment. Because of her direction, he even came down to Iwatodai Strip Mall…what the heck…
Monorail was not the only way back to Port Island, though. It's been such a long time he lived in Tatsumi Port Island, so he knew clearly. Monorail was the fastest way and people usually rushed in time. He walked in between the buildings, taking shortcuts and heading all the way back. Though it's farther than taking monorail, but it's almost the same if you knew the direction.
Just as he taking a corner, he stopped when he heard some sounds. He remained as quiet as he could and listened carefully. It's someone's panting sound, no doubt about it. So…someone was here?
"Tch…troublesome." He readied a grenade just in case necessary. He wouldn't want to risk.
The person seemed to notice his appearance as well. The other corner was too quiet. He gulped, lifted his grenade.
Around the same time, the person struck to him with a small knife on hand, and Jin blocked it with his case, and pushed it back. Turning around, he's about to toss the grenade –
"J-Jin!"
Jin stumbled forward when his name was shouted. He looked to the person and found it's –
"Izumi…?" Jin put down the grenade on hand. "What the hell you're doing in the time like this?"
"I could have asked you the same thing…" Izumi wipe off the layer of sweat on his head. "I was on my way to home when Dark Hour struck…and met some shadows…haha…I thought I should have done…" He chuckled bitterly.
"…Why don't you summon your persona?" Jin furrowed his brows. He would never run away from shadow.
"…No choice. Mine was not as strong as yours." Izumi barely shrugged. "This knife is more than a decoration when it's come to face shadow. But this is my talisman, anyway."
"…Wanna company?" Jin offered, which was rare to Izumi. "W-What's with that face!?"
"N-No!" Izumi rubbed his nose. "I mean…thank you. But my house is somewhere around here…so don't worry about me."
Jin looked to the old departments in this area. This place near to where he and the other two were lived, not far from back street of Port Island. But the departments were old and quite mess. Well, it's not much different than the place they lived anyway.
Izumi seemed to have difficult life as well.
"Fine, I'll go then."
"Be careful on your way back, Jin."
"…You don't have to remind me." He was far capable than he, after all. Leaving Izumi, Jin went to another direction and vanished in the darkness.
After making sure Jin was gone, Izumi finally collapsed. He snuggled his body to endure the sharp pain from inside. It always showed its side-effect after all the works. His hand quickly reached to his pocket and took out the capsule.
It's has clearly to see he relied on the capsule more than he used to be. The symptoms always reminded him how long his life was left. But…but…!
"…I want to live…I want to live…!" Either was caused by the sharp pain or the sadness contained in him, tears broke out and rolled down to his cheek. "Saya…Maya…"
"…Izumi…" Haruka muttered softly, head leaned against the window.
She closed her eyes, knowing this would actually come. She should have known…that this person was dangerous, either to her or SEES.
It's just the matter of time.